Fire Flowers
by dark-rose189
Summary: Kian and Bip are making fire flowers for the turn of the year and Enu is acting weird.


It was the turn of the year and Kian was busy making more fire flowers, while Bip was sitting next to him, watching him, while shifting around on his chair in his excitement. Bip had tried to make his own earlier, but then he had messed it up somehow, making one of them explode, and Kian's quick reflexes, pulling him away from it at the right moment, was the only thing that had saved him from getting injured. And after that, Kian hadn't allowed him to make more. Bip had protested at first, but then given in rather quickly, the shock from the suddenly exploding fire flower being enough to convince him that it really would be saver if he left it to Kian.

Kian added another one to the already rather big pile on the table, then turned to Bip. "Don't you think that's enough now?"

Bip shook his head. "No. Use up all the ingredients! They're to drive away evil spirits, so the more the better!"

Kian sighed, looking at the pile of ingredients that was still there. "Where did you find all of that anyway? Did you rob a merchant of their last supplies?"

"I didn't! I told you I didn't steal it! They're just all happy that the Azadi are gone and they can use all the forbidden stuff again, so they sold them really cheap. And I didn't steal the money either, I managed to convince Enu to give me some to buy it."

"Where is she anyway? I haven't seen her all evening." Kian wondered about the Zhid's absence, she usually got excited over the celebrations and had involved herself in all the preparations of the previous celebrations they had had. But this time, she had just disappeared after the feast they had had, and he hadn't seen her since. Maybe some of the food had disagreed with her?

"I think she's in her room. Saw her go in there while I got the ingredients from mine," Bip explained, while gathering up some tubes, to put them down in front of Kian. "Come on, it's almost the new year, we need to get finished!"

"Why am I the only one making them anyway? I'm sure there are others who know how to make them."

Bip shrugged. "I asked Likho, but he didn't want to. And the others said they didn't know. Also asked Enu, but she got weird about it, and refused."

Kian narrowed his eyes. That didn't sound like Enu at all, she always was willing to help, especially when it came to craft something.

Kian put down the tube he had picked up. "We have enough fire flowers, Bip. I'm going to see if Enu's alright."

"Aw man," Bip complained, but then jumped down from his chair when Kian got up. "I'll come with you!"

Enu was indeed in her room, and her calling to him to come in when Kian knocked sounded quite normal. Kian opened the door and saw her sitting cross legged on her bed, a book in her lap, and a blanket over her shoulders, and not looking sick or in any other way different.

"Oh, hey Kian! Did you finish making the fire flowers?"

"No, but he won't make any more," Bip piped up, before Kian got a chance to answer.

"Well, I'm sure you have enough. And something exploded earlier? Glad you're alright. Wondered if I should check, but then I thought you should be fine. You survived battles so a little bang shouldn't be a problem for you. And you are fine, so that's good."

"Enu, are you alright?" Kian asked. Enu rambled like usual, but there was still something about it that sounded off. He had been trained to notice when people were lying, and something about Enu's behaviour was different.

"Oh, yeah, sure, I'm fine. I mean why wouldn't I be?"

"You sound different somehow. Like you're hiding something."

"I'm not! I'm fine."

"Well, now that that's settled, let's go back to the fire flowers," Bip said impatiently. "Should be close to midnight now, and we still need to gather all of them, and tell everyone to meet up outside to light them." Bip then turned to Enu. "If you're not sick, you can help too!"

Enu shifted a bit, her ears twitching. "I'm not actually going to join you. Don't really feel like it. I'm not sick, just not in the mood. So just light them without me and have fun! And tell me about how it looked Bip." Enu smiled at the boy, but it seemed forced.

Kian narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong Enu? If there is something bothering you..."

"I just don't like loud bangs!" Enu burst out. "There, I said it, feel free to make fun of me now. A full grown Zhid being scared of loud noises, like a little child. But I have big ears, and they're sensitive to sounds. Like I hear a lot better than you and... ugh, that's embarrassing alright?"

"It's fine, don't be embarrassed about it. I'm sure there are other Zhids that don't like loud noises, if you all have sensitive ears."

"Maybe. But it's stupid, and they're so beautiful, and then I always jump when one goes off, and I want to be part of it, but I also don't want to, and that probably doesn't make any sense."

"Oh hey, I have an idea!" Bip suddenly called out. "You know, I explored the place, and while the staircase to the top is broken, there's still a way to climb up there. So you can just sit at the top of the enclave and watch the fire flowers from there."

Enu thought about it for a moment. "That might actually work, Bip... Yeah, that's a great idea, let's try that! Show me the way?"

About half an hour later, Kian was also climbing up to the top of the enclave, balancing on a toppled over pillar. Enu was sitting on the roof, waving at him when she spotted him.

"Oh hey! That was a great idea, I can hear them, but it's not really loud. Did you leave Bip alone with the fire flowers? You sure that's save?"

Kian smiled, being relieved that Enu sounded normal again. "Well, he's not entirely alone, and Likho is keeping his eye on him. And he can handle the fire flowers, as long as they're finished and he's not making them."

Several fire flowers appeared on the sky at once and Enu let out a little squeal. "Oh look at them, they're so beautiful. Remind me to thank Bip again!" Then she seemed to remember something, and she turned to him with a grin. "So, did you get your kiss?"

"My... kiss?"

"Yeah, it's tradition to kiss at midnight."

"Well, I didn't..."

"Ah shame. But I'm not surprised actually, Likho's not the type to follow **that** tradition. Maybe later in private." Enu sent him an encouraging smile, then turned around to watch the fire flowers exploding over the night sky again.

Kian turned his head to watch them too, while thinking about Enu's words. Yes, maybe later. He hadn't seen much of Likho today, and he intended to change that.


End file.
